Wider wheels or tires...?
03-28-2014, 11:23 AM
#16
Rennlist Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't mean to hijack the OP's thread, but SM_ATL & paradocs98... why did you go with the 255/35 versus the 255/30?
I'm thinking that the lower profile (25.2 diameter versus 26.1) will transfer more weight to the front end, improving turn-in?
I'm thinking that the lower profile (25.2 diameter versus 26.1) will transfer more weight to the front end, improving turn-in?
04-09-2014, 01:19 PM
#17
Preliminary review of Yokohama AD08R
Quick recap: I was looking for a versatile track tires set and wanted to stay on street tires this time: 3 hour drive to Barber MSP, should be able to handle rain and dry, hoping to get more life out of the tires and wanted to re-assess my car control skills with non R-comps.
The two days we spent at Barber MSP two weeks ago have provide a relatively wide range of weather conditions: heavy rain to light rain to almost dry track the first day, 100% sunny, dry and warmer the second day.
Under the rain: the AD08R always did OK, but the Michelin PSS's are a superior from what I remember (better grip and feel). R888's are not the tire of choice in these circumstances, so the comparison is not fair.
The AD08R shows its (slight) superiority over the Michelin in the dry with a bit more grip and, more important, a better consistency through an entire track session. A number of us have experienced that the PSS is getting a lot more 'greasy' after 15-20 mins. The AD08R lasts longer from that perspective even though it starts showing a drop in grip over time (especially during 60 min sessions...). It also seems like the AD08R may take a bit more time to get at temperature/pressure, but this may be completely subjective.
When you oversteer, the AD08R is perfectly controllable, but, again, the PSS is smoother and even more progressive. The good news was about understeer. I never felt it was a concern, but I could feel that the car turned it a little better. Maybe a combination of wider front tires and better grip.
Do not get mistaken though, the AD08R is much closer to an excellent street tire like the PSS than it is from a R888 on the dry. The grip of the R888 on the (dry) track is MUCH better. Nothing surprising there.
On the street, the AD08R is a good tire, but more harsh and noisy than a PSS is. No issue for spirited driving, but the Michelins are more comfortable for daily driving. I also have the feeling that they are more accurate even though the sidewalls are not as stiff.
Here are a couple of pics of the AD08R's after the week end. I am down to a bit more than 5mm tread depth which means I should still be able to use them for 2 days (very aggressive & hot weather) to maximum 4 days I think. This would not make them last a lot longer than R888's in fact.
The wear was relatively even on all 4 tires, but the AD08R' showed a straight scar on one tire and lost a good chunk of rubber on another. Nothing dramatic though (not as visible or bad in reality compared to the pictures).
I tried to summarize my impressions in the following table. Remember that is is largely based on personal experience of different set of tires at different times... and that I am no expert at all.
In brief, and unless the Yokohama's prove to last longer, I would rather stay on PSS on the street or in the rain at the track and keep using R888 on the dry. The PSS remains the best all around tire, but the AD08R is indeed a bit more track oriented. Enough if it is your only tire set and you track the car frequently, but if you are going for a dedicated track set and you think you have accumulated enough experience on street tires, go for R-comps.
My 0.02 so far...
Quick recap: I was looking for a versatile track tires set and wanted to stay on street tires this time: 3 hour drive to Barber MSP, should be able to handle rain and dry, hoping to get more life out of the tires and wanted to re-assess my car control skills with non R-comps.
The two days we spent at Barber MSP two weeks ago have provide a relatively wide range of weather conditions: heavy rain to light rain to almost dry track the first day, 100% sunny, dry and warmer the second day.
Under the rain: the AD08R always did OK, but the Michelin PSS's are a superior from what I remember (better grip and feel). R888's are not the tire of choice in these circumstances, so the comparison is not fair.
The AD08R shows its (slight) superiority over the Michelin in the dry with a bit more grip and, more important, a better consistency through an entire track session. A number of us have experienced that the PSS is getting a lot more 'greasy' after 15-20 mins. The AD08R lasts longer from that perspective even though it starts showing a drop in grip over time (especially during 60 min sessions...). It also seems like the AD08R may take a bit more time to get at temperature/pressure, but this may be completely subjective.
When you oversteer, the AD08R is perfectly controllable, but, again, the PSS is smoother and even more progressive. The good news was about understeer. I never felt it was a concern, but I could feel that the car turned it a little better. Maybe a combination of wider front tires and better grip.
Do not get mistaken though, the AD08R is much closer to an excellent street tire like the PSS than it is from a R888 on the dry. The grip of the R888 on the (dry) track is MUCH better. Nothing surprising there.
On the street, the AD08R is a good tire, but more harsh and noisy than a PSS is. No issue for spirited driving, but the Michelins are more comfortable for daily driving. I also have the feeling that they are more accurate even though the sidewalls are not as stiff.
Here are a couple of pics of the AD08R's after the week end. I am down to a bit more than 5mm tread depth which means I should still be able to use them for 2 days (very aggressive & hot weather) to maximum 4 days I think. This would not make them last a lot longer than R888's in fact.
The wear was relatively even on all 4 tires, but the AD08R' showed a straight scar on one tire and lost a good chunk of rubber on another. Nothing dramatic though (not as visible or bad in reality compared to the pictures).
I tried to summarize my impressions in the following table. Remember that is is largely based on personal experience of different set of tires at different times... and that I am no expert at all.
In brief, and unless the Yokohama's prove to last longer, I would rather stay on PSS on the street or in the rain at the track and keep using R888 on the dry. The PSS remains the best all around tire, but the AD08R is indeed a bit more track oriented. Enough if it is your only tire set and you track the car frequently, but if you are going for a dedicated track set and you think you have accumulated enough experience on street tires, go for R-comps.
My 0.02 so far...